Bears show stomach for a fight

WARWICKSHIRE fought hard with ball and then bat to enjoy a hugely encouraging second day in an intriguingly-poised Specsavers County Championship match with Yorkshire at Headingley.

This battle at the foot of Division One has seen the already-relegated Bears land punches against a side who are in danger of joining them in the bottom two.

After bowling their visitors out for 219 on day one and reaching stumps at 62 for one, Yorkshire’s passage to a lead of 77 was far from simple. Warwickshire then reached the close on 49 for one from 16 overs, a deficit of 28.

Yorkshire lost wickets at regular intervals – three in the morning, four in the afternoon and two in the first half of the evening – in being bowled out for 296.

Adam Lyth top-scored with 62 as he advanced from 35 overnight, while Tim Bresnan’s 47 was the best of a quartet of useful contributions. Captain Gary Ballance made 28, Jack Leaning 36 and Matt Fisher 37.

Chris Wright, off-spinner Jeetan Patel and Boyd Rankin were Warwickshire’s standout bowlers on a pitch offering something for everyone.

Wright and Rankin finished with three wickets and Patel two as a few loose shots aided their cause.

Yorkshire’s seamers then tested the Bears’ batting resolve under the Headingley floodlights and they came through in reasonable health.

Liam Banks offered a low chance to Leaning at third slip off Ben Coad on nine, then the bowler switched ends to Kirkstall Lane and was rewarded shortly afterwards when Dom Sibley was lbw to make the score 35 for one.

Banks will begin day three on 22 and Jonathan Trott on nine.

Bowler Ryan Sidebottom said: “As a group, we stuck at it and stuck to our guns.

“Hopefully we bat well, set Yorkshire a good challenge, and go from there. I don’t think the wicket will get any better.

“It definitely does a bit with the new ball and with the overcast conditions it does tend to swing around a bit more.”